I grew up in Africa, I am Canadian, I don't like guns, and I don't like killing anything unless I am going to eat it. But a bit of a reality check...

Hunting license for an elephant is in the 40-100K range, depending on tusk size, NOT 10K. In most cases 50% goes to the local villages towards infrastructure programmes and the the remainder goes to the government. This is about putting value on something -- harsh, but true. Elephants are also culled in most sub-Saharan parks. Since hunting licenses with direct benefits to local villages was initiated some time ago, poaching rates declined as there was interest in protecting the "resource".

Before we judge, walk a mile in that old shoe...

My mother is South African, I was born there and lived in SA, Zimbabwe and Zambia. My family was involved with wildlife.Don't believe what is put out by the Professional Hunters. They run these outfits for tourist hunters and have little or no respect for the animals or the locals.After many years of action by reformists some progress has been made.It is now illegal to drug animals to make it safer and easier for the so called hunters, but now what they do is "track" the animals with trucks and SUVs until they are so exhausted that they slow down somewhat like a bull in a bullfight. Then to keep things legal they have the tourist hunter step a foot or two from the truckto shoot the animal. However the new law makes an exception for shooting from the car if the animal is wounded. This is because these tourist huntersoften shoot so badly that the animals being hurt try desperately to get away and become very dangerous. So these animals once wounded they can be hunted down from multiple vehicles. Wounded animals from trophy hunts have attacked villagers even days after being wounded.

If you REALLY want to consider value-adding with wildlife then hunt with a camera.That way the same animal can be hunted multiple times with no harm.MASSIVE amounts of revenue can be generated as well as teach both locals and tourists about the value of wildlife as a resource - which it is.Trophy hunting is a selfish exercise and contrary to any conservation principle because there is an essential disconnect between the hunter and the owner of the resource. The amount of money that changes hands is irrelevent and you can be sure that the money will not go where it is advertised to go nor have the beneficial effects you would like.I am also South African so have some insight into this.

If you REALLY want to consider value-adding with wildlife then hunt with a camera.That way the same animal can be hunted multiple times with no harm.MASSIVE amounts of revenue can be generated as well as teach both locals and tourists about the value of wildlife as a resource - which it is.Trophy hunting is a selfish exercise and contrary to any conservation principle because there is an essential disconnect between the hunter and the owner of the resource. The amount of money that changes hands is irrelevent and you can be sure that the money will not go where it is advertised to go nor have the beneficial effects you would like.I am also South African so have some insight into this.

Tony Jay

Well put Tony.It's also interesting that most of the people that run these Trophy Hunt Businessesin Africa are not African. Some are shady characters that ran from their own country to escape prosecutionfor hunting violation in Europe, the US and Canada.

Many animals are wounded but get away.Here is one example. A lion that was so seriously wounded that it could not be released back to the wild. He had back and nerve damage. My father treated this lion for it's back problems.He made special tools to manipulate the lions spine.

Here is a Cheetah that was saved with an emergency cesarean from it's dying mother.That's my father visiting the cheetah after it had to be transferred from out home to a center.It was the last visit because the bond had to be broken. They are very affectionate cats!I will never forget the loud rattling pure.

Progress for some might not be so for others. Organic progress and mandated are too different things. Why stop with Nikon? Why not tour operators, air companies, God, etc?

Let me tell you something about shades of grey.My father was one of the first Chiropractors in South Africa.He was from a modest background and while his living was from treating white patients and he was not allowed to treatboth white and black patients. He continued to treat all patients, except those that would leave him due to him treating Blacks too.This got him into trouble more than once eventually leaving South Africa. I like to think that it was people like my old man that contributed to change in South Africa.I remember about one case where a Doctor left his practice to be substituted by another Doctor who took inspiration from my old man and he too treated allpatients. He had a rough time, but was eventually accepted.

Times change because people take a stance.

No one is saying to single out Nikon. The tour operators are the real problem, but I don't buy cameras from them, so they would not care what I or many other customers think.Also large corporations have to justify their moves with the share holders. IfF Nikon decided to no longer back Trophy Hunting they could justify this with their share holdersby referencing the public opinion of their clients.

This also does not mean that Nikon has to get out of the scope market. They are not only used to shoot big game.Both my father and elder brother were marksmen, my father having been in the Marines, but they both chose to shoot at targets with guns and animals with cameras.